The 3 murderers
by wizz713
Summary: A leathal assasin has struck. He promises to strike again. No one has a clue who he is. Fear spreads like a desease that they might become his next victim. Will he be caught, or will me remain as unsolved history forever?
1. Nightfall killer

Diego was sitting outside the cave with Shira sitting right beside him. They were looking up at the beautiful night sky. It was just getting to be night. The sun was disappearing behind them. _It's so peaceful out here._ Thought Shira. she turned to Diego who, she found was staring at her. he looked embarrassed. She smiled. He was so cute when he ws embarrassed. She was leaning forward to lick him when a scream rose out of the silence. They both froze. that was no hunter's cry. that was a cry of pain and anger. something terrible was happening! They both got up and ran towards the source of the cry. They found themselves at the entrance to a den. "Hello!?" Diego cried into it. There was no answer. "Come on. Lets go in." Said Diego. He and Shira entered. A saber tooth was laying dead on the ground. What was disturbing was that the claw and teeth marks, had the distinctive look of a saber's! He walked over to the body and examined it for a minute. "Female." He reported. Then he saw something. a claw was laying near the side of the room. He looked at her paws. none of them were missing any claws. Then he noticed something laying near. A bloody half of a sabre's fang. He looked at her mouth. sure enough, she was missing half of her right fang.

'What do you think?" Shira asked.

"There was a fight."

"But theres no blood anywhere but where she's laying."

"I know. That's why it doesn't make any sence."

"We should go home. This doesn't have anything to do with us, Does it?"

Diego and Shira returned to the cave. It was nearly dawn. The herd was waiting for them.

"Were've you been?" Asked Sid as they walked up.

"Out." Diego responded. "We found something." He told Manny.

"Like what?" Asked Manny.

"We found..."

"...a tiger. She was dead." Shira told them.

"Dead? How?" Sid asked.

"You want to find out?" Diego asked threateningly.

"I think we should look in to this." Manny suggested.

"Why?" The two tigers asked in unison.

"It could be important." Manny said.

"Besides, It would be nice to be busy again." Sid said, obviously happy at the thought of something interesting happening. Manny punched him.

"A tiger is_ dead_. This is not a good thing Sid."

Back at the den where the tiger had been killed, Manny and the two tigers searched for anything that they had missed. They had been searching for what felt like hours. Diego saw something up a hill. something bright. He walked up. He walked up and pulled it out of the ground. It was just a stick. He heard scraping and wood breaking. Then the stick tried to pull away. By instinct he pulled back. he heard more scraping. then he heard a vine snapping. a sound of wood shifting was heard next. then, a great crash. Finlay, the ledge he was on fell. as he fell he saw something that they had missed. He saw this spelled out in sand of a different color than the rest of the ground. NIGHTFALL KILLER.


	2. Dawnlight killer

It had been a day since Diego had found the nightfall killer's sign. actually two days. He realized as he saw the light of the sun rising in front of him. He had been hurt pretty bad by his fall. He had broken a few bones. He still had trouble walking on his front leg. It had hit the ground first. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. The herd had told him what had caused the ledge to fall. rock and earth had been scraped away under it, making it ready to fall. the stick he had pulled on had been attached to a log with a notch cut into it. the notch and been supported by a rock. The log had a vine wrapped around a tree. When he pulled, it released the log from its notch. the tree it was tied to pulled it over. The ledge then fell under its own weight. The sun was now half visible over the horizon. Then, he heard a scream, much like two nights ago. He leaped to his paws.

"Ow!" Yelped as he fell over again. he kept forgetting his paw was injured. This time he got up more carefully. Shira was already up. He followed her to the source. They reached a tall pine tree. A dead tiger lay at the bottom. She had suffered similar wounds to the previous victim. He looked up the tree. There were claw marks and broken branches marking the path of where she fell. He saw no signs of a struggle.

"What do you think?" Shira asked him "Not our problem?"

"I think, She was begging for mercy." Diego said ignoring her comment.

"Why would you say that?"

"She was crying." He pointed to a little wet sand. It didn't smell quite like urine, but it smelled like her. the only other fluid that might come from her, was tears. "It was tears of sadness, tears of happyness, or tears of fear."

"So why do you think it was tears of fear?"

"See that rock over there?"

"Yea, what about it?"

"She was dulling her claws on it. He told her. That could only mean she was trying to look like less of a threat."

"So she was trying to bargain for her life?"

"Yep. pretty much."

"You know, your good at this detective stuff."

"Er... thanks." She licked him on the cheek. Diego started purring. Shira purred back.

"I love you." Shira told him.

"I love you too."

"Er, I hate to break it up, but we have a murder investigation to look in to." Said a voice from the direction of the forest. They both looked up. Diego looked embarrassed as he realized the stranger had been there the whole time.

"Who are you?" Shira asked him.

"The name's Clinston. Eric Clinston."

"So, Mr. Clinston..."

"_Sargent_ Clinston may I add."

"Sargent?" Diego asked.

"Yes. A police sargent."

"We have police?" He siged.

"Look, I'd love to answer all of your questions, but I'm just to busy." He told them.

"Busy with what?"

"Busy with what? If you didn't notice, there is a dead body here." The sargent pointed out.

After an hour, he had found several forms of evidence. including, a claw was missing from the atacker's paw.

"...No! I never miss anything! I have been doing this job my whole life! I know how to find evidence!" He said to Shira. She had asked him how he was sure that he had found all of the evidence. Thjat led to an argument. Shira was about to respond when...

"Hey! Mr. detective!" Diego shouted.

"What?!"

"You missed something." All of them went rushing over.

"Oh my god." Said the sargent. On a tree, ingraved in the bark by, a tool of some sort, was a message. It read THE DAWNLIGHT KILLER.


	3. Link 1

Diego woke up. yesterday he had found the second victim. He heard a tiger calling

"I have a message for you!"

"What?" Diego asked sleepily.

"Here." The tiger handed him a piece of wood with writing on it. It read

_I live, I hear, I see, I smite._

_I breathe the airs of day, Of night._

_I strike the hearts of those who loved._

_I strike their lives them down By night, By day, By day, By night_

_I am the serpent who's lives you seek._

"What is this?" Asked Diego, puzzled.

"I don't know."

"Who gave it to you?"

"I couldn't tell. He was hiding in the shadows."

"What about scent?"

"No. He smelled of pine trees. He had obviously wanted to hide his scent. He did it well." So, they were dealing with two killers, they were both smart, they were both sabers, and they were both still walking around free.

Diego looked into the past of the second victim. He found out, that she had been close friends with the first one. Perhaps thier deaths had some conection. He was still puzeled by this, so he decided to go visit the crime scene.

He arived at the first crime scene to investigate farthar. Imeadiatly, he noticed something that he had noticed before, but had thought little of at the time. The claw was drenched in pine scent. All of it. As though the killer had done this after he killed her. But Why? Why not just take the evidence away? Then he noticed something that he had not noticed before. The broken tooth, Had been severd by this claw! There was no reson to have done that. And finaly, he remembered something else.

He ran up to the second crime scene. He ran to the victim's side and put his claws in the tracks. Then, he found one that only his left paw would fit into. He put his claws there and found something he had expected, but dreaded. It was had a missing claw mark. There weren't two killers at all! They were the same one.


	4. Sunhight killer

It was the day after Diego received the strange message. He had narrowed it down to several possible killers. By those who had a grudge against either victim. Those who were good poets. And those who were smart enough to set that genius trap. He had talked to all of them exept one. He was headed there now. It was nearly noon. Shira came up beside him.

"Where've you been all this time? You've been gone for hours."

"I was looking into the case."

"Which one"

"You know... The case. Where The two sabers were killed."

"That's two cases though."

"Not anymore. I linked the killers. They're the same guy."

"Or girl. It could be a female."

"Anyways, I was just going to check on a few suspects. I'm on the last one. Want to came with me?" Just then the sun hit his back. They heard a scream. Diego ran off and Shira followed. They reached a rocky hill. There was a cave on top. They saw a saber's orange fur up on top.

"GET HIM!" Diego yelled. and charged after the fleeing saber. He had nearly caught up when...

* * *

Shira watched as Diego charged after The killer. Sudenly, the saber dissapeared and Diego slamed into a rock wall. She ran up to him to see if he was alright.

"Diego. You okay?" She asked as he stood up.

"My head hurts." Diego complained. After he had rested a few minutes, They continued into the cave. There, lay a dead body. Another female saber. But this one was much older than the other two. She looked to be a grandmother. She had scratches like those of a saber. And again, the missing claw. Diego looked around for the mark of the killer. But there was nothing. Perhaps this was a different killer. He realized that there was nothing more that could be done here. He turned around to leave. As he walked through the exit, he triped on something. When he looked up, he saw a tree falling. He jumped out of the way. When it landed, he saw , on the side, writen out, SUNHIGHT KILLER. He looked at it in dismay. He had hoped that it would be someone else. as they walked home, tiger walked out of the shadows to meet them.

"Hello. Who are you?" Diego asked.

"I bring a message to you. From a tiger. He said he didn't want to be identified, so he was hiding in the shadows. He smelled of pine too. I guess he wanted to hide his scent. mabey..."

"You sure it was a male?" Diego asked.

"Yep. I'm totaly sure."

"How?"

"The way he talked. And..."

"Give me the massage."

"Okay." The messanger handed Diego the message. It read...

_I bear you yet no evil will,_

_Though I'v heard you set my fate's to kill._

_A serpant I am,_

_A serpent I'm not._

_The killer's still out there,_

_Yet to be caught._


	5. The second link

**Diego is new to this detective thing, so see if you can figure it out before him.**

* * *

Diego was sitting alone thinking. Yesterday he had found the third victim. He was completely stumped. No one knew her. No one even seemed to know _of_ her. He didn't know where to start. Then, he remembered the last suspect that he had not yet questioned. He walked off to go find him. As he walked, he heard panting. He turned to his left to see a saber running as though his life depended on it.

"Hey! Who are you?" He asked the stranger. He stopped and tried to catch his breath.

"Name's... Jake." He panted. "I bring... news."

"What kind of news?" Questioned Diego.

"It's... for my sister."

"Whats her name?"

Mabey I can give you some directions."

"Her name... is Kate." Diego was stunned. Kate was the name of the first victim. As he researched, he had found out that she was the only animal with that name for miles around. That had surprized him, as it seemed such a commonly used name.

"Did she live around here?"

"Yea... right in this area... if I remember right. Why?"

"I think you should come with me." Jake looked puzzled, but followed as Diego walked off into the trees.

"What is it?" Asked Jake. Diego sighed. He had to find out sometime.

"Your sister, Kate, She's dead." Jake looked shocked.

"No. She can't be!" He began crying. "Our sister... both of us... she was killed. Murdered." He said through his tears. "I came here... to tell her that."

"Kate was murdered too." Jake's head shot up.

"Who killed her?!" He asked, now sounding angry.

"We don't know. But I've been working day and night to find out. In fact, I was just on my way to check out a suspect now. Want to come with me?"

"Lets go!" They charged off in the direction of the tiger's hunting land. When they got there, Diego smelled an all to familiar scent. Sargent Clinston was here. They walked into the camp. There, was the Sargent questioning The suspect.

"So, your name is..."

"Jason. Jason Writher."

"Hello sarge. We meet again." Said Diego.

"Hello smarty! What are you doing here?"

"The same thing as you, except actually getting results."

"Don't talk back to me!"

"I..." Diego was cut off by Jake.

"We have a murder to solve here, don't we?"

"actually three murders." said the Sargent.

"three?"

"three."

"So, You knew the first victim, did you not?" asked Diego.

"So what if I did? She was attractive. A lot of tigers knew her." Diego glanced around. He saw something that caught his eye. Two trees were tied together with vines so that their tips touched. a vine was tied to the connecting vine. it was attached to another tree, making it lean towards the two trees leaning into each other. He was confused as to the porpous of all this, but it looked to be of a similar make as the contraption that had caused him to fall off of the ridge. The hill went up, and then down a steep cliff. The overhang was positioned over that cliff. He had fallen into it because the rock was worn away underneath. A sturdy tree had supported it. pulling the stick out, had twisted the tree. The stick had been tied to the tree. A vine had been attached to the bottom of the trunk, and tied to another tree. When he pulled out the stick, it had unbalanced the trunk. It fell over, and the ledge collapsed under its own weight.

"By the way, who are you?" Asked the Sargent.

"I'm Jake." The Sargent looked puzzled. "Kate's brother."Jason looked at Jake with surprize on his face. Then, the look vanished as fast as it had appeared. He almost thought he had imagined it.

"I knew her." Jason told them. "I liked her."

"Did you..." The Sargent was cut off as Diego spoke.

"What about the second victim, Jenny?"

"Yea... The two of them were friends. Weren't they?"

"Kate and Jenny were more than just ordinary friends! They were like sisters to each other!" Jake told him.

"Well, I didn't know her all that well."

"Do you have any clue who the third was?" Asked Diego.

"No. She was elderly, right?"

"Yes."

"Never heard of her in my life."

"What was her name?" Asked Jake.

"We don't know." Replied Diego.

"Did she have a twisted hind leg?"

"Now that you mention it, I think she did. How'd you know?"

"I know who she is."

"Who?"

"She was Jenny's grandmother. She was the only tiger in our pack to be born with a deformity of that scale. Her name, is, was, Sara."

"So all of them have some connection?" Asked Diego.

"Yep."

"Jake, I think we should go." Said Diego. "Want to spend the night with us?"

"Sure." Jake replied. They walked off.

"Jake," Diego asked when they were out of earshot. "What kind of animal killed your sister?"

"I'm pretty sure it was a tiger. A saber by the look of it. How barbaric!" He said disgustedly.

"Come on." Said Diego, thinking about all his new information. "There is a few people I want you to meet."

After a while, they were back at the cave. Diego called to his friends. Sid came out first. He saw Jake and stared at him.

"Who's this?" Asked Sid.

"His name is Jake."

"Hi Jake."

"Thats Sid. He can be pretty wierd at times, but he's worth it."

"Hi Sid."

"And that's his crazy grandmother. Diego said, pointing to her, just inside the cave. Oh, and that's Manny." He informed his friend pointing to the mammoth companion.

Shira then exited "Who's this?" She asked.

"His name is Jake. He was related to one of the victims. Her name was Kate. Jake, This is Shira."

"Hi Shira." Said Jake, a little shyly.

"Hello Jake." She said smiling at him.

"Jake, I think that you, Shira, and me, should go have a talk about Kate's murder."

"Alright." Said Jake. Jake and Shira walked side by side. Diego pushed between them. Shira smiled at him and purred. They sat in a circle to begin their discussion.

"So, Jake, What was your other sister's name?"

"Elizabeth."

"Such a pretty name." commented Shira.

"She had looks to match it. Mabey even exceed it."

"When was the last time you saw your sister before she died?"

"Mabey three weeks ago. She walked in on us and suddenly announced that she was moving into her own den with her mate, The next day, Elizabeth left and never came back."

"What was her mates name?"

"She only mentioned him once or was very strange sounding. Ritwher I think."

"That does sound strange." Diego thought aloud. "How long ago did she die?"

"ten days in 15 minutes."

"Ten days? What took you so long to get here?"

"Had to stay for the funaral. and then the police wanted to question everyone who knew her." They continued like this for hours into the night. Then, dawn broke over the dark night sky.


	6. Moonhigh killer

Diego and Jake walked in the forest talking.

"You like her. Don't you?" Asked Diego.

"Well... she is very pretty."

"She's _my_ mate." Diego told him. "You wouldn't try..."

"No! I would never even consider doing something... Ow!" Jake lifted his paw.

"What's wrong?" Diego asked.

"I stepped on a sharp rock!" Jake told him Diego grabbed a piece of moss and placed it over the wound. After a while, the bleeding stopped and  
Diego through the blood-soaked moss to the side. After a while they reached home. Diego and Jake settled down for a good night sleep. Then, Diego remembered something that he had failed to notice before at the crime scene. He got up and dashed away. His retreat woke Jake. The saber chased after his friend. Then, after a while he got confused. Diego was heading away from all of the known territory in the area. he was headed for a rocky mountain area. then, a moment to slate, he realized what he was headed for. A few moments later, he was stuck in a thorn bush.

A tiger prowled outside the den. it looked up at the moon. it was full tonight. soon, it would be moon high, when the moon reached its highest point. Everything was in place. the tigers were gone, the false evidence was layed, and now, it was time to kill. this was, the tiger hoped, the last time such an act would be nesisary. it crept in and prepared to kill. the white tiger was sleeping in her nest. the shadow reached forward and slit her throat. she gasped and woke up. the tiger received a kick to the face. it dashed around her and scared her side. she hissed in pain and spun. it was to quick though. it slid under her and clawed a long, fine line down her stomach. she turned to fight, but she was visibly growing weaker from the blood loss. The tiger gave her a hard blow to the cheek. she fell over, unconscious. the tiger knew that now she would bleed to death.

_my work is done. _he thought_._ _Now,_ _I must leave a message to Diego. That is, if he's smart enough to find it!_

Diego was curious as to why Jake had not followed him. He was always so interested in the crimes that went on. Diego could tell that Jake liked Shira. She was just playing along like always. he thought. No. She didn't just play along. She twisted things to work for her. _That's how she Is, how she has been, and how she'll be for the rest of her life._ He thought. Diego entered the cave and called.

"Shira! I'm back!" There was no answer. "Shira?" said worriedly walking in. Then he saw her body on the ground. "Shira!" He gasped. He ran to her side. The first thing he saw was the gash in her throat. It was still bleeding! It was fresh! She was alive! He tried to stop the bleeding and patched her up as best he could. Soon after, Jake arrived.

"Hey Diego." He said. "Hey Shira. Shira? Shira!" He said as he realized her condition. "What happened?!" He demanded.

"I don't know! I came back and found her here. She's alive! Get help!" Jake needed no further instruction. He ran top speed from the den.

_When I find the ANIMAL that did this..._ Diego's thoughts drifted into dark regions. Regions filled with blood. With revenge. Soon, He realized that there was no more he could do for her. Jake turned up with the rest of the herd. They looked worried. They all did what they could for the dyeing tiger, but her condition never seemed to improve. Diego sat down and rested his head on his paws. He would not let anything get to her.

* * *

Shira awoke to an agonizing array of pain, confusion, and fear. She was hurt. She could tell that. She felt weak in her paws and seemed unable to even move her legs. She felt the pain of many slashes along her side and down her stomach, and one on her throat. She opened her eyes and saw Diego sleeping in the entrance. He had obviously collapsed from exhaustion.

"Diego?" She called. immediately he was wide awake.

"Shira? Are you alright?" He asked.

"What happened?" She asked. everything was a blur. She remembered the semiconscious knowledge that she was alone, and then pain and more pain and then nothing.

"We were hoping you would tell us that." Diego told her. Diego then recounted exactly what had happened the previous night from his perspective. She was shocked. She remembered none of this.

"Who tried to kill me?" She asked.

"I don't know. But I promise, I won't rest till I do." She knew that he meant it, though he had slept already for a few hours.

* * *

Diego looked around and, almost immediately saw the bear tracks on the ground. After a few hours of searching, and with the dawn, he concluded that it had been a wild animal. The scratches on her looked like those of a bear. The tracks looked, and smelled like those of a bear. He needed no more evidence. The killer _was_ a bear. He concluded as he drifted off to sleep.


	7. An answer

Diego had not left Shira's side since the attack. He wanted to be there if that bear came back. something was wrong with the crime scene though. But he just couldn't place it. Jake was out hunting for them tonight. Diego hoped that he would bring them something good tonight. Shira was in a bad mood. She had wanted to go out, but Diego had insisted that her wound were not properly healed yet. She had sat down in her nest fuming. She had been irritable and wouldn't speak to him for the past half-hour. A good meal would cheer her up. Over the past few days, Diego had grown more and more jealous of the younger cat. It was quite plain that he liked Shira... more than Diego was comfortable with.

Diego sat there for near another hour and was about to go look for his friend, when he sudenly apeared.

"About time." Diego exclaimed. "Where've you been?"

"It took me a long time to find this." Jake admited, draging a carcas after him.

They had a long, satasfying, meal. Afterwards, Diego called for Jake to follow him. The other cat followed into the forest. He found his paws taking him on the familiar trail that he took every time he wanted to visit a crime scene.

"So, what is it?" asked Jake.

"Somrthing is wrong." Diego stated. "something is wrong about the bear attack. I just can't figure it out! You have any idea what it could be?"

"No. It looked like a bear attack to me." Jake told his friend. "Besids, only bears have that big of paws. How could it_ not_ be a bear?" Diego had to admit, he had no answer to that. Diego looked deeply concerned. "What is it?"

"I'm just worried about Shira."

"Oh don't worry! She'll be fine!"

"But her wounds..."

"She can pull through any thing. Come on, cheer up. She's still alive, isn't she?"

"Yes." Diego stopped and looked around. he recognized this place. They were just on the border of that Jason character's teritory. " I think we should go home." Diego said. They both ran along the path home.

When Diego got back, he couldn't sleep. Something about this crimescene (as he had come to think of it) was wrong. He got up and looked for whatever it was that was bugging him. then, he noticed something. although there was blood in the bear's prints leading away, there was no bear blood at the crime scene. This was all false layed evidence! He sniffed at the tracks, inhaling deeply. He smelled the paintest trace of something. He grew stiff with shok and his jaw dropped open. He sniffed again. There was no doubt this time. He smelled... Jake.


	8. Punishment

Diego was shocked. He decided what to do that instant. He ran away. Ran to find the Sargent. He was a bad policeman, but he would at least be able to arrange a trial for Jake. He finally found him, walking around the last of the crime scenes.

"Sargent!" He called. The Sargent turned, surprized.

"Oh. It's just you. What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?

"I know who the killer is!"

"What! Who?"

"Jake." The Sargent looked confused. "You know... Jake. The tiger... he was with me when we interrogated the suspect."

"Oh, him. Can you prove it?"

"Yes. I can prove it. His scent is all over."

"But he does live there, right? It could have just been from him walking in and out."

"No. It was under the scent of bear. Like someone had tried to hide that it was there."

"Alright then. I'll arrange for a trial."

"What ever you do, I have a request."

"What?

"Don't do anything till I get back. I need to check one last time."

"Alright. I'll wait for you. If he's guilty for three accounts of..."

"four. He killed his sister too."

"Four accounts of murder then, and one account of attempted murder, the penalty will be death." Diego sprinted away.

"Jake!" He called as he approached the den.

"Diego? What?" Jake asked popping out.

"The Sargent wants to see you. A lead on the case."

"Okay, I'll be back." He sprinted away into the trees. Diego was almost certain that Jake had done it, but he had to be certain before he could accept the responsibility of another's life. He sniffed at the tracks one last time. He inhaled deep, taking in everything. Something was wrong. He smelled bear, and he smelled Jake, but there was a smell of... a plant of some sort. A growing thing.

* * *

Jake arrived at the place where Diego's scent trail led to. Then, he was confused. there were many animals here. They all looked very official and very serious.

"Hey, Diego said you had a lead on the case."

"Well he was right. Did he mention who?"

"No. Who was it?"

"You."

"Me!"

"Yes."

"Jake, you have been accused of four accounts of murder, and one of attempted murder, how do you plea?"

"Not guilty. I didn't do it!"

"We have physical evidence from crime scene D. A detective has detected your scent hidden under those of the bear. From that we were able to trace you back down the line of killings. odds are not in your favor."

"Wait, Are you saying that I tried to kill Shira? I love her! And I love my sisters! I would take a bullet for any of them! Why would I kill them?!"

"I've known killers who don't need a reason to kill. I like to call them psychopaths." Replied the Sargent.

"I didn't do it!"

"Then explain how your scent got in the evidence."

"I don't know! It could have drifted there while i was walking by!"

"Our detective said that the scent had clearly been covered up on pourpous. Do you have any evidence to present to the jury?"

"No! Except this: I ... DID ... NOT ... DO IT!"

"I see. Case closed guilty verdict! sentenced to death." Jake felt ice clot fear and shock pulse through him. He had done nothing! And he was going to die!

* * *

Diego smelled it again this time he got something. Another scent! Twice discussed, he could hardly make it out. Then, it hit him. Jason! Jake was innocent! He ran into the forest., when something hit him in the head. He looked at it. it was a piece of bark that he had stepped on, causing it to go up in his face. etched on it was this:

_The serpant's fate is near to sealed._

_A tiger's life is yet to yield._

_A price was paid to those defiant,_

_The price was right, but bitter willed._

_I have no doubt you'll set things right, _

_for the serpant's noose, yet grows tight._

He sprinted full speed through the trees.

* * *

They led Jake, now with his paws tied together, to a tree stump. They tied him down and brought a cup filled with a strong smelling liquid to him.

"Drink. You will not feel pain." The executioner told him. He was surprized that the executioner was a female, yet, he couldn't bring himself to drink it. She sighed. And then after licking him comfortingly, poured it in his mouth. She forced him to swallow it. Jake spoke:

"When I said I didn't do it, I wasn't lying." He told her.

"I could tell. But they are not so simple as I am. I know you told the truth, so I have done you an act of kindness The poison, Is supposed to make you die in agony. This will be painless, and quick.

"Stop!" Diego burst in to the clearing.

* * *

"Stop!" Diego burst in to the clearing. "He's innocent!" The Sargent looked over at him with surprize in his eyes. He saw Jake staring at him with wide scared eyes.

"Diego... It's to late." Jake spoke as if each word pained him. Then he collapsed over, and died right there. Diego was to stunned to move, then he regained his senses.

"YOU!" He bowled over the Sargent. "YOU PROMSED TO WAIT FOR ME! NOW LOOK AT ALL YOU'VE DONE! YOU MURDERED AN INNOCENT MAN!" The Sargent stared up at him with fear in his eyes. Diego ran to Jake's side. "I'm sorry Jake! Its my fault!" He touched his friend's fur for the last time and looked into his stone cold eyes. Life was crule. Death, cruler.


	9. A killer caught

yesterday was the day that Jake had been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. Diego had figured it all out the night before. Diego hated Sargent Clinston for what he had done, but he was the only police officer that Diego knew. He had told him who had been the killer. He had told him why. And he told him how. After that, he refused to speak to the police man. They walked in silence to the killer's territory. It had been a tiger just like all the evidence had suggested. and yesterday, something had happened to prove that. Shira had been attacked. By a tiger. The attacker however, was not the real criminal. He was just a hired gun. There was a master mind behind all of this. Only one other living cat could know that Shira was still alive. Then, they arrived at the killer's camp. Everything looked neat, and tidy. The killer had been planning to move. After he killed Shira, he had thought to have bought himself enough time to get away. He had not, however, anticipated that she would live. If Diego had been to striken by grief for the loss of his mate, he would solve no crimes. He had framed Jake for framing a bear. Then, Diego had walked along the border of his territory and discussed Shira. They had mentioned outright that she was alive. He must have been walking along his border, when he overheard them talking.

"Hello Jason." Diego called into the cave, where the tiger slept. "I see you cleaned up for us."

"Jason Writher, you are under arrest on four accounts of murder, and one account of attempted murder." The Sargent said as Jason emerged.

"Who? Me?"

"Yes. You." Diego replied.

"Why on earth would I do that?"

"It started two weeks ago. two weeks and two days to be exact.

* * *

FLASHBACK

* * *

Ritwher was fuming as he returned home. He had always had a short temper. This! This was unacceptable! His mate had been seeing another tiger!

"Hey!" He called. Elizabeth came out looking scared. She loved him, but he was scary when he was in one of his fits. "I hear You've been seeing another man!" He accused.

"Okay, we can work this out. He was... only..." She choked as he pinned her to the ground

"You are lieing to me." He told her, his face and inch from her's. "I don't like it when someone lies to me."

"Ritwher..."

"Oh, and that's not my real name." He slit her throat. She began gauging. He raked claws down her sides. He would make her feel the pain.

"I... have... a sister. She'll... know... it was you." She said with her dyeing words. Jason considered this. He would have to change his name. Ritwher... Writher. Yes, Writher was a suitable name.

* * *

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

"This is crazy! Why would I kill Jenny?"

"Because you were affraid she would be able to trace you back to Kate. And from there we would trace you to Elizabeth.

* * *

FLASHBACK

* * *

He spyed through the trees. There was the sister, Kate. She was talking to a freind. He listened in.

"... Seen Jenny lately?"

"No. She said that her grand mother was coming to visit. She is a good lady at heart, but she is annoying."

"So how's your sister doing?"

"Oh, she found a mate. I only met him once and I can't recal his name. I was just telling Jenny about how short his temper was. He is scary when he's mad. He had me pinned to the wall for telling this guy, about Elizabeth. I only mentioned that I had a sister. Not even her name!"

"Well, I should be going home soon."

"Bey!" The tigress walked away. Jason atayed where he was. He then stteped out to confront Kate.

"Hello. We met before." She jummped and turned to see Jason. "I'mhere to carry out an errand. Some... buisness with your sister."

"What?"

"This." He leaped on her and killed her.

* * *

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

"And what about the old hag?"

"Obviously, Someone mentioned something."

* * *

FLASHBACK

* * *

Jason approached the old lady's den. He saw her sitting there, and jumped her from behind. It was easy. to easy the fourth time. He then saw Diego running up at him. Then he remembered, this cat had been investigating Jenny.

{FLASHBACK}

Jason walked up to Jeny's den. There he saw her, waiting.

"You were expecting me?"

"Yes. I know you killed Kate. But I promise that I wont tell."

"Realy? I don't beleive you. Word mean nothing. You can always go back on them." He killed her quickly and, using his tree invention, catapulted her into a tree, to make it look like the killer had draged her up there, and killed her from the fall. He was known to be an exceptionaly bat climber.

{END OF FLASHBACK}

He ran for his life.

* * *

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

"Okay, but what about Shira? She had nothing to do with either of them."

"She was a distraction. You were th only cat that knew she was alive.

* * *

FLASHBACK

* * *

A tiger prowled outside the den. it looked up at the moon. it was full tonight. soon, it would be moon high, when the moon reached its highest point. Everything was in place. the tigers were gone, the false evidence was layed, and now, it was time to kill. this was, the tiger hoped, the last time such an act would be nesisary. it crept in and prepared to kill. the white tiger was sleeping in her nest. the shadow reached forward and slit her throat. she gasped and woke up. the tiger received a kick to the face. it dashed around her and scared her side. she hissed in pain and spun. it was to quick though. it slid under her and clawed a long, fine line down her stomach. she turned to fight, but she was visibly growing weaker from the blood loss. The tiger gave her a hard blow to the cheek. she fell over, unconscious. the tiger knew that now she would bleed to death.

* * *

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

"Okay, but how. There was no scent of me leaving my territory. I couldn't gone over my border."

"Ah. A good trick. You didn't go _over_ your border. You went _under_ it. Tunnels. You probobly made them with some invention of yours."

"Do you admit?" Asked Shira. "I can also comfirm that it was you."

"Fine. I admit. Do with me what you will. It was all over a mating dispute."

"Jason Writher, you are under arest for four accounts of murder, and one account of attempted murder. You are hereby found giulty, and sentenced to death. Do you have any last words?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do.

_I thought I was smartest,_

_But smarter were you._

_Congradulations!_

_If these be my death words,_

_Then let them be heard!_

_Across the valleys,_

_Across the seas!_

_A life well lived,_

_A life well earned,_

_A life well given,_

_A lesson hard learned._

_A soul not worthy,_

_Of one more chance,_

_That soul be mine,_

_And return I shan't._" The sargent brought over a cup filled with poison, and forced the tiger to drink it. He collapsed with pain, and died, shuttering. Diego had finaly solved the crime. He had avenged All the deaths. Except one.

"One mor thing before we leave. Sargent Eric Clinston, I wish to present another crime."

"What?"

"I charge you with Manslaghter. How do you plea?" The sargent looked shoked. "You kno he didn't deserve to die."

"Guilty." He said with regret.

"You are hereby placed under arrest for the murder of a good man, Jake. You are scentenced to life in prison."

Finaly, after so much worry, Diego's mind, was at peace.

* * *

**The story is over. Don't request a sequil. There is alread one out. Vengence is now the official sequil to th is story.**


End file.
